Lebanon national rugby union team
The Lebanese National Rugby Union team have yet to make their debut at the Rugby World Cup. Lebanon played their first test match against on 14 May 2010 in Dubai The Phoenix currently competes in the Asian Rugby Football Union's, Asian Rugby Championship in Division Three West. In November 2018 Lebanon Rugby attained World Rugby Associate Membership.
On 19 June 2014 the Phoenix defeated Pakistan in the semifinal of the Asian Rugby Football Union's, Asian Five Nation Division 3 West tournament in Lahore, Pakistan, 17 - 3 to book a place in the final on 22 June 2014 against Uzbekistan in Lahore. Lebanon defeated Uzbekistan 20 - 19 to win the tournament.
On 14 April 2015 Lebanon hosted the 2015 Asian Rugby Championship division 3 West tournament in Jounieh, Lebanon. They defeated Jordan in the first round 71 - 3 and won against Iran 27 - 8 to secure their third consecutive Asian title.
In April 2016 Lebanon took part in the Asian Rugby Championship division 3 West tournament held in Doha, Qatar. On 19 April 2016, Lebanon beat Iran 34-12 and went on to face Qatar in the final. Although they led the majority of the match, being penalized down to 13 men gave Qatar an opportunity to take the lead. At the final whistle the score was 25-19 to Qatar.
In March 2017, Lebanon competed in the Asian Rugby Championship, hosted by Uzbekistan in Tashkent. Lebanon defeated Iran 25 to 24 in the semi-final and drawing with hosts Uzbekistan 24 all in the final of the tournament to run out narrow ARC Div III West Champions.
On 24 April, Lebanon hosted the 2018 Asian Rugby Championship Division 3 West tournament in Jounieh, Lebanon. They defeated Jordan in the first round 62 - 3 and won against Iran 27 - 17 who had defeated Qatar in the semi-final to secure their fifth Asian title in six years.
Current squad
Player | Position | Club |
Karim Jammal | Scrum-half | San Diego |
Georges Cassab | Scrum-half | Jamhour Lions RFC |
Omar Hamaoui | Scrum-half | Beirut Phoenicians RUFC |
Ben Abood | Fly-half | South Sydney Rams |
Lawrence Abood | Fly-half | Saint Patricks |
Jad Hashem | Fly-half | Beaver Nomads Rugby Team |
Raymond Asfour | Centre | Catford RUFC |
Steve Pere | Wing | Jounieh Dragons RFC |
Robin Hachache | Centre | Beirut Phoenicians RFC |
Anthony Manassa | Wing | Eastwood |
Fadi Saad | Wing | Sydney University Rugby Club. |
Martin Wahbe | Fullback | Eastwood |
Thomas Alexander Saliba | Fullback | Finchley RFC |
Player | Position | Club |
Tariq Khaldi | Prop | Barnes RFC |
Rony Bachour | Prop | Staines RFC |
Salem Dessouki | Prop | Calgary Canadian Irish Athletic |
Feda Dessouki | Hooker | Calgary Canadian Irish Athletic |
Fadi Barakat Diab | Prop | Kuwait Scorpions |
Joshua Taweel | Hooker | West Harbour Rugby Club |
Mohammed Turk | Hooker | RC Compiègnois |
Raymond Finan | Lock | Beirut Phoenicians RFC |
Mounir Finan | Lock | Beirut Phoenicians RFC |
Joe Bakhache | Hooker | French Froggies RFC |
Cyril Irani | Prop | Jamhour Blacklions RFC |
Firas El Chami | Lock | TSV Handschuhsheim |
Bilal Elbatoury | Prop | Sydney University Football Club |
Kamil Abdallah | Flanker | Balmain Rugby Football Club |
Jason Khoury | Flanker | West Harbour Rugby Football Club |
Ibrahim Ballout | Flanker | Beirut Phoenicians RFC |
François Zgheib Fournier | Flanker | San Diego |
Camil Abou Farhat | Flanker | Jamhour Blacklions RFC |
Rudy Hachache | Number 8 | Beirut Phoenicians RFC |
Frederick Makhlouf | Flanker | Jebel Ali Dragons |
Kahil Bejjani | Flanker | Beirut Phoenicians RFC |
Sol Mokdad | Lock | Beirut Phoenicians RFC |
Joseph Touma | Number eight | Barking Rugby Football Club |
A full list of all capped Lebanese players: https://web.archive.org/web/20180428120026/http://www.lruf.org/player-profiles/